The lasting impression that new wave made for the general public was not a particularly good one. However, nor was it a very fair one. Sure, A Flock of Seagulls had gravity defying haircuts, weedy synthesizers and synthetic drums, and deserved a good chunk of the criticism they received. But let us not forget the Cars, Pretenders, Stranglers and early Missing Persons, bands that did not make their records with the clubs in mind (though many of them wound up with massive club hits anyway). Spoon's latest,
Girls Can Tell, fits right in with the latter. In fact, this sounds like a lost new wave classic, with stripped-down arrangements, simple but crisp production, and a whole mess of good tunes.

The opener, "Everything Hits at Once," has more than a hint of vintage Squeeze in it. One of the softer tracks on the album, it is also the most logical choice for a single (it has what the label geeks call crossover potential). "Me and the Bean" is probably what Bush would have sounded like had they started in 1980, with Daniel doing an uncanny, if unintentional, Gavin Rossdale impression. "Lines in the Suit" is another killer, with Daniel's falsetto contrasting nicely with his raspy straight vocal. "Take a Walk" and "Take the Fifth" are straight up new wave rockers, with pogo dancing optional.

In an age where rock is a niche market, and any band that doesn't have a DJ is all but tagged classic rock (so, so unfair), it is of little surprise that bands like Spoon go unnoticed by the mainstream. But for anyone who's looking for a no-nonsense rock record that doesn't include histrionic screaming,
glass- shattering bass lines and walls of D-tuned guitars pounding bar chords, do I have something for you.